Gma Willie

This morning, very early, my grandmother passed away peacefully.  There is a line from one of my favorite movies that immediately came to mind.  "I am happy and sad for you."  I am sad, mostly for me, as she is the last grandparent on either my side of the family or my husband's.  I am happy though, because I am grateful that she is free from the ravages of alzheimer's and age.  I have been to see her many times in the last month and it was hard to watch her deteriorate so drastically.  But now, she has her memory again and she is with her husband and her family and friends, and I know she is happy!  What a blessing!

I am honored to be giving the eulogy at her services on Monday.  Ever the historian. : )

Wilburta Linenbach - 1992

I love you Gma!!

Lu Penrose Bond - 28 October 1912

Today would have been Gma Lu's 100th birthday!  What a marvelous milestone!!  Yet, she would have been unfazed.  Haha!  She was a very regal woman, and just took things as they came. I miss her.

Lu Penrose Bond - 1983

I lived with Gma for a year in 1991.  I want to quickly share the story of that came to be.  I was going through a time in my life where things were not going the way I was hoping they would.  I was kind of stuck and I wasn't sure what I should be doing.  I was living in Tucson, AZ, going to school at the University of Arizona.  I had been praying about what I needed to be doing, and one day, as I was walking to work, I was in the middle of an empty parking lot, outside an abandoned building, and I heard a voice say very clearly, "move to Fresno."  I was so startled and I looked around to see who had said it.  There was no one anywhere.  It would never have occurred to me to move to Fresno!  I thought of Fresno as, and I quote (keeping in mind that I was young and stupid), the "armpit of California."  Nevertheless, I got to work, and called Gma Lu.  I asked her if I could come to stay with her.  She said yes, and within two weeks, I had finished everything up in AZ, and moved to Fresno.  I know I was supposed to be there, with my Gma, for that period in time! 

I joked for a long time that all my friends in Fresno were little old ladies, as I took Gma to DUP, The Silver Belles get-togethers, etc..  We would sit at her dining room table and I would ask her questions, and she would tell me stories, and I wrote them down as quickly as I could.  She told me about her youth, about her parents, about her marriage.  All wonderful memories to be preserved.

I remember that she always had a "round robin" going with all of her siblings.  They would send a manilla envelope with letters and photos in it from one person to the next.  You would read everyone's things, add your own, and take out what you had put in previously, then send it on to the next person.  I thought that was so cool, and wanted to do that with everyone when we got older, but by then there was email and digital photos, etc., and it didn't seem as necessary.  Kind of a shame.

For me, it was the WAY she told stories. I have very specific phrases that come to my mind, and I hear them in my head in HER voice.  When I am having nasal issues, I hear her voice saying, "By dose is rudding a streab."  She told the story about her father who always had such amazing sandwiches in his lunches and one day (at the other man's request) traded sandwiches with a co-worker. As he bit into the peanut butter sandwich he had been given, he yelled out, "Help!  I've been poisoned!!"  I remember how she called people "ding-a-lings" when they did something she didn't like.  I loved it when she told me the story of how after she and Gpa had gotten married, he shaved his mustache.  When he came out of the bathroom, he asked, "How do I look?"  Gma said, "Clean."  He said, "Yes, but how do I look?"  She looked at him harder, trying to figure out why he kept asking, and said again, "Clean."  As she was telling me the story, Gma took her hand and waved it over her head and said, "Woosh!"  That just cracked me up!

I remember sitting watching her paint her nails.  I always thought her nails were so beautiful, always long and thin.  I remember how she always sat up straight, no matter where she was.  Even sitting on a couch.  I remember what a prolific reader she was!  Always reading something!  I remember giving her two rolls of Certs for Christmas one year, and she treated them as if I had given her something very important.  I remember the "ACK!" sound she would make when she was telling a story where she had been surprised or startled.  I remember how the air felt and smelled and I would step out of her house onto the back porch.  That is how Fresno is supposed to feel and smell.  I can't describe that any other way.  

Last year, I did a post about her birthday as well, which can be seen HERE

Gma Lu was a special lady.  An old friend of Gma's calls my oldest daughter, "Little Lu".  I am glad to have that frequent reminder in my life of how much she meant to people.

I hope that we can always continue to share these wonderful stories of our family members so they continue to live on with us!

Happy Birthday Gma Lu!!  I love you!

Direct Line Ancestry: Lu Penrose Bond --> Kathryn Bond Berkowitz --> Lora Marshall Nehring

Happy Birthday Gma Willie!!

My grandmother, Wilburta June Love Linenbach, turns 90 years old today!!  I visit her as often as I can, usually about once a week, and she is always so happy to see me.  I don't know that she remembers who I am exactly, but she knows we belong together and that she loves me and I love her! Every once in a while she will mention my aunt, Lindi, or my dad, by name, but usually not.  I am sad that she doesn't remember the full life that she lived!  

In honor of her birthday, I want to share some photos of her life!

Wilburta June Love was born on 20 September 1922 in Glendale, California, the second daughter to Wilbur and Florence Faye Alkire Love.

Wilburta (6 months)  and Juanita (2 years 3 months) Love - 1923

Wilburta Love (7 months) - 1923

Wilburta Love - circa 1924

Wilburta Love (1 year, 9 months) - 19 June 1924

Juanita (3 years 6 months), Florence Faye, and Wilburta (2 years) Love - 1924

Wilburta Love - 1926

Wilburta Love - about 18 years

Wilburta Love - circa 1939

I have already posted many photos from Willie's high school years that can be viewed HERE.

Willie Love Caman and her first child (my dad), Donald William Caman - 1943

Willie and Don Caman - 1944

For more details about Willie's first two marriages, click HERE.

Willie Love Marshall with her parents and grandparents - back: Wilburta and Dick Marshall, Juanita Love Troth, holding Lindi Marshall, and Les Troth, Anna and Henry Alkire, Faye and Wilbur Love; front: Ginnie Troth, Don (Caman) Marshall and Darryl Marshall - 1948

Willie with her children - Don (Caman) Marshall, Willie Love Marshall, Darryl Marshall and Lindi Marshall - circa 1952

The Fort Washington Invitational - 9 June 1960 - Sally White - Sunnyside Country Club, Mary Pewthers, Ft. Washington, Willie Marshall, and Naomi Dunn

Willie Marshall - about 44 years old - circa 1966

Willie married Clarence "Linn" Linenbach in 1974 and they had a wonderful life together!

Willie Linenbach - Hawaii - 1974

Willie and Linn Linenbach - Munchen, Germany - Farewell Night - 15 September 1976

Willie Linenbach - Floating Restaurant - Victoria Harbour - Hong Kong - about 1978

"My retirement" - Willie and Linn Linenbach - 1976 

Willie Linenbach - circa 1970s

Linn and Willie Linenbach, and Kerri Reynolds - May 1983

Willie and her children - Darryl Marshall, Lindi Reynolds, Willie Linenbach, Don Marshall - 1986 - in the Linenbach's home, Fresno, CA

Willie's 70th Birthday Party - back: Darryl Marshall, Lindi Clark, Jeremy Marshall, Don Marshall, Candace Marshall; front: Corissa Marshall, Lora Marshall, WIllie Linenbach, Kerri Reynolds, Lindsey Marshall, Jordan Marshall - 13 September 1992 - Arroyo Grande, CA

Willie and Linn Linenbach - 1987

Linn and Willie Linenbach in Kokanee, Canada - 27 August 1995

Willie and her children - Darryl Marshall, Lindi Marshall Clark, Willie Linenbach, Don Marshall - at the Belmont Country Club - 26 January 2007 

Willie Linenbach with Lora Marshall Nehring, Amanda Nehring (9), Rebecca Nehring (6) and Katrina Nehring (2) - May 2007

Willie with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren on Don's side - back: Jake and Candace Marshall Mele, Amanda Nehring, Kevin Nehring, Ayla Fortini, Corissa Marshall Fortini, Ryan Fortini, Jeremy Marshall, Jordan Marshall.  fron: Parker Marshall, Debra Marshall, Lily Marshall (on Deb's lap), Zachary Marshall, Rebecca Nehring, Willie Linenbach, Don Marshall, Lora Marshall Nehring and Katrina Nehring - Fresno, CA - 17 April 2011

Happy Birthday 90th Birthday Gma Willie!  We love you!

Direct line ancestry: Willie Love Linenbach --> Donald (Caman) Marshall --> Lora Marshall Nehring

Genetics

My husband shared this picture with me and I thought it was funny!  So I am sharing it with my genetic  pool! : )

Anna Halligan Sammon Warren and Annie Sammon Ramey Caman

The excitement continues!! : )

My grandfather, Don Caman, said: "My grandmother (Anna Halligan) married William Sammon.  His father and his family came from Ireland.  William Sammon was apparently a ne'er-do-well because my grandmother, who was a staunch Catholic, they had three children, she divorced him.  Then eventually she married William Warren."

Marriage record of Anna Teressa Halligan to William Sammon - 12 November 1879
 in Greene County, Iowa

Marriage record of Anna Teressa Halligan Sammon to William M. Warren - 24 October 1898 in Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa

He mentions three children, but I only knew of my great-grandmother, Annie Marie (or Amy Marie, or Marie, or Mary).  Despite her many name changes, I call her Annie because that is what is on her headstone, so that is what she wanted to be called at the end of her life.

In the process of looking for Thomas, I connected with a Cynthia Halligan.  Cousins!!  We both are descendants of Thomas Halligan.  She was doing some digging and found the 1900 Census with William and Hannah Warren, and three Sammon children.  Woohoo!!  

1900 United States Federal Census - Omaha, Douglas, Nebraska, line 99 - page 1

1900 United States Federal Census - Omaha, Douglas, Nebraska, line 1 - page 2

So, there is Margaret, Mary (my 2nd great-grandmother), and Frances.  I can't find any more about Margaret, as she most likely got married and I have no idea what her married name was, but I think I found Frances.  There is a California Social Security Death Index entry for Frances Sammon, with the same birthdate, who died in San Francisco in 1987.  There is no entry for him on Find-A-Grave, so I am not able to verify that as of yet.

California Social Security Death Index for Frances Sammon

Then on down through Annie. . .

Annie Marie Sammon Ramey Caman

Marriage Certificate for Clarence Chapman Caman and Annie Sammon

On the back of my great-grandparents marriage certificate, it says that, for both of them, this is their second marriage.  I know very little about Clarence Chapman's first marriage, but this week I was able to find a lot more about Annie's first marriage.  It was to a man named Frederick "Fred" Ramey.  They were married in 1908 in Omaha, Nebraska, and had a son, also named Frederick Ramey.  (I was able to find a lot of information about Fred's parents and grandparents as well.) 

1910 United States Federal Census - Omaha, Douglas, Nebraska, line 13

On the 1930 Census, it lists Clarence and Marie A. Caman, with their son Donald (my grandfather) and step-son, Frederick Ramey.  

1930 United States Federal Census - Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, line 28

I am not sure why Fred Ramey and Annie were in Colorado, but they weren't there very long.  The April 1910 Census puts them in Omaha, then Frederick was born in Colorado on 21 December 1910.  Fred died in Denver, Colorado in 7 June 1915 and is buried in the Forest Lawn Cemetery in Omaha, Nebraska.  Annie remarries Clarence Caman in 1917.  Frederick married Ruth Sharp and died in Los Angeles on 26 May 1986.

California Social Security Death Index for Frederick Warren Ramey

Direct line ancestry: Anna Teressa Halligan --> Annie Marie Sammon --> Donald William Caman --> Donald William (Caman) Marshall --> Lora Teressa Marshall Nehring

Thomas Halligan and his family

This has been a week of amazingness!!  I have broken through so many road blocks this last two weeks, it is so exciting!

A while back I mentioned my difficulty in finding any information on Thomas Halligan.  This has been a road block for as long as I can remember.  I have been able to find oodles of information, thanks to the fantastic genealogical community out there!

It started three weeks ago when a Find-A-Grave volunteer took the headstone photos I had requested of Ann, Patrick and Mary Halligan.  I was guessing that they could have been Thomas' children.  The funny thing was, I didn't remember having requested that the photos be taken.  That one little forgotten request was the crack in the flood gates!

The Halligan marker at the St. Mary's Cemetery in Nichols, Muscatine, Iowa

Ann Halligan's marker in the St. Mary's Cemetery in Nichols, Muscatine, Iowa.

Ann Halligan's marker in the St. Mary's Cemetery in Nichols, Muscatine, Iowa.  It says: Ann, wife of T. Halligan, died July 17, 18965, aged 68 years

Patrick Halligan's headstone in the St. Mary's Cemetery in Nichols, Muscatine, Iowa.

Mary Halligan, Patrick's wife's headstone in the St. Mary's Cemetery in Nichols, Muscatine, Iowa.

I was guessing that Patrick, Ann and Mary could have been Thomas' children.

When I made the request I added a note that if there was a Thomas Halligan buried there as well, could they please take a photo of his headstone too.  The volunteer told me that there was no headstone for Thomas in the St. Mary's Cemetery in Nichols, Muscatine, Iowa, but that she was familiar with the local cemeteries, and there was a Thomas Halligan buried in the St. Vincent's Cemetery in Riverside, Washington, Iowa.  

Thomas Halligan's headstone in the St. Vincent's Cemetery in Riverside, Washington, Iowa.  Transcription: Thomas Halligan, Died Aug. 22, 1874, Aged 50 years.  John, died June 15, 1863, Aged 8 years.  Julia E., died Nov. 18, 1865, Aged 1 yr. 9 mos.  May their souls rest in peace. Amen.

This Thomas Halligan died in 1874, at the age of 50, meaning he would have been born in 1824.  There are two children buried with Thomas, John and Julia.

I Googled the St. Vincent Cemetery and called to speak to the Sexton there.  He said that when they acquired the cemetery, there were no additional records, and, the first source of my frustration, Iowa did not start keeping records until 1880, six years until after Thomas Halligan died.  Iowa became a state in 1846, but didn't keep records until 1880?!  Bad Iowa!!

So, no death record, nothing.  So, I called the Riverside newspaper to see if there was an obituary.  (Hooray for unlimited calling plans!!)  The Riverside newspaper was not around then, but they said there was a Washington County newspaper and I should contact the Washington County Library's genealogical department to see if they had obituaries.  Since the department is staffed by volunteers, it took a few days for them to get back to me.

In the mean time, I did some digging.  I went back to the 1870 Census that lists Thomas Halligan with his wife, Lancia, and five children, Thomas, Patrick, Ann, Mary and Margaritta.  

1870 United States Federal Census for Union Township, Louisa, Iowa, line 6.

Thomas was born in Ireland, Patrick in Great Britain, and Ann in Iowa.  To me this tracks their immigration.  Patrick was born in 1850, which means that they would have immigrated to America somewhere between July 1850 and roughly, 1852-1854.  I have checked many immigration records and haven't found them yet.  Frustration #2.

The Iowa State Census for 1925 lists Patrick Halligan, born about 1850, from Ireland with father, Thomas Halligan, and mother, Annie Ratchford.

Iowa, State Census Collection, 1836-1925 - Census date - 1 Jan 1925

The Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths Index, 1916-1947 lists Patrick Halligan, born 4 July 1850 in England, with father, Thomas Halligan, and mother, Anna Caslello. (?)

Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths Index, 1916-1947

Thomas' birth year on the 1870 Census is 1842, and I am beginning to think that the census taker reversed the numbers of his birth year, and perhaps when Ann C. said Ann-C the census taker heard Lancia.  The more I look at census documents, the more I see human error.

There is also a 1860 census with Thomas Halligan, his wife Ann C., and children Patrick, Ann and Mary.  The ages and birth places match. 

1860 United States Federal Census - Union Township, Louisa, Iowa, line 19

In the meantime the Washington County Historical Society volunteer called me back.  There were no obituaries ……. frustration #3.  She said that if someone's horse died, it would make the front page, but when a person died, not so much.  She had the cemetery record for Thomas Halligan, which also mention the John and Julia, although the records are inconsistent, one says he died in 1874 and one says 1871.  The headstone says 1874.  She also referenced the 1860 and 1870 Census documents.  She also had the marriage record for Patrick Halligan and his wife, Mary.  Basically, not much more.

I called the Washington County Recorders office, to see if there were any records for any of the Halligan children.  They don't give information over the phone, and you have to be a direct relative to receive any of the documents.  They referred me to the Washington County Historical Society.  Been there.  They said I could pay someone to come to see if there was anything there to ask for, but I am not at that point yet.  Frustration #4.

There is also the 1880 Census where Ann Halligan is listed with her youngest daughter, Maggie (Margaritta).  A few lines down is Patrick and his family.

1880 United States Federal Census - Fremont Township, Johnson, Iowa, line 36

So, based on the census documents and Patrick's death record, I am convinced that this is my 3rd great-grandfather, Thomas Halligan, and his daughter, Ann, is my 2nd great-grandmother, Anna Teressa Halligan.

So, this would be my understanding of this family.  Thomas Halligan and Ann C. Ratchford were married in Ireland, somewhere around 1846ish.  They had a son, Thomas, born around 1848-50.  They immigrated to America, and Patrick was born along the way while they were in England.  For some reason Thomas didn't come with them, as he doesn't appear on the 1860 Census.  My grandfather, Don Caman, said that they came to America with the Sammon family.  "The Halligan family and the Sammons had come from Ireland, they were in the famine and it was to either leave Ireland or starve to death.  So, that's why they left Ireland.  The Halligans and Sammons eventually settled in Iowa and my great-great grandmother met my great-great grandfather in Iowa."

They arrived in America, traveling through Illinois, where John was born, and settling in Iowa, where Ann(a), Mary, Margaritta and Julia were born.  John appears on the 1860 Census, and then died in 1863, and is buried with Thomas.  Julia never appears on a census, as she was born in February 1864 and died in November 1865.  Some time before 1870, Thomas arrived to join the family.

In the St. Mary's Cemetery, the headstones were Patrick and his wife, Mary Morgan Halligan, and Thomas' wife, Ann.  Her headstone says, wife of T. Halligan.

After so many years of road blocks, it is wonderful to have a break through!!  I still have to find the immigration records, and I don't have the International subscription to Ancestry, so I have to find Irish records another way, but still a break through!!

Don Caman continued by saying: "My cousins are named Warren and my uncle was Warren, but really they should have used the name of Sammon, because I show no record that they children's names were changed or that they were adopted by WIlliam Warren, who was their step-father.  But, in those days, when the Census man came around, if you wanted to change your name, you could, because originally, my mother's name was Mary.  And for some reason she liked Amy Marie, so she changed it to Amy Marie."

My next post will be on the process of finding Anna's family and Mary/Amy Marie's family!  The excitement continues!!

Direct line ancestry: Thomas Halligan --> Anna Teressa Halligan --> Annie Marie Sammon --> Donald William Caman --> Donald William (Caman) Marshall --> Lora Teressa Marshall Nehring